How does Welles create an air of mystery in the opening to Citizen Kane?

How does Welles create an air of mystery in the opening to Citizen Kane?

Welles uses lighting to create an air of tension in the opening scenes by drawing the audience’s attention to the upper right corner of the screen. This wide shot gives the illusion of isolation, and asks the question why is this mansion in such desolate surroundings?

The editing of the fences leading to the house shows the audience how secure this building is; with three individual fences match faded in towards the house. During the time when the fence is the focal point of the shot, the background is blurred. This gives a feeling of the area being forbidden. The house itself mimics the intimidating exterior through the use of the light shining through the window. The use of match fading on the window to transition from outside the house to inside the bedroom contrasts with the light, in the light goes out in the bedroom while the light “turns on” outside. This raises the question, what is the light and what does it mean?

Many of the shots in the bedroom revolve or focus upon the snow globe, the famous low angle shot aimed at the door at which the nurse enters is refracted through the snow globe, pointing out the prop as an important item to the story of the rest of the film. The word “rosebud” – the only word we hear the man say before he dies – is followed by silence, giving the viewer a moment to contemplate the word and what it could mean. The effect of the diegetic sound (the smashing of the snow globe) is the first sharp noise we hear; and so it breaks the tension built up by the preceding scenes.

The editing used in the opening scene is used to create an effect. The fade to black transition is used quite often; leading the viewer to believe there is a lapse in either time or story development, which adds to the air of mystery as we don’t know what that development is. The editing style is quite slow, which adds to the tension as the story reveals very little to the viewer, and the viewer’s intent to know more about the plot is undermines by the lack of information that has been given.

The non-diegetic sound in the forests, stereotypical “horror movie” music, give a pathetic fallacy of fear and darkness, despite the film is not in this genre and does not carry on as such after the opening scene. This adds to the feeling that the man in the bedroom is seen as someone to be feared, and his death, while important, is not met with much fanfare.

It is strange for a house of that size and security to be occupied by only two people, which adds to the mystery of the status of the man, and what level of power or relationship does the nurse have with him?

It is also strange to see the man die so suddenly; which leads me to believe he had a previous health problem. If so, why did the man, who is in a position of power and wealth, not have more healthcare available to him and why didn’t the nurse not react to his death?

The cinematography used also creates mystery. The scenes quickly go from wide, long shots when the house is been viewed from outside, but from inside the bedroom, there are lots of close-ups, with very little detail given to the setting or the props in the room. There is a distinct sense of uneasiness created in the opening scene, with Welles playing on the audience, that in hindsight, this scene will make sense despite containing very little information.